Robert mcmahon



(No Model.)

Nro. 447,737.l

Fay 7. #nl

` 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. MGMAHON.

GAR GOUPLING.

Patented Mar. 3, 1891.v

2mm@ BY (No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 2'.

R. MGMAHON. GAR GOUPLING.

No. 447,737. Patented Mar. 3, 1891.'

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UNITED STATES ATENT ROBERT MCMAHON, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OE AONE-HALF TO HERBERT GASTON, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,787, dated March 3, 1891.

Application iled June 26,1890. Serial No. 356,810. (No model.)

lT0 @ZZ whom, it may concerm Be it known that I, ROBERT MCMAHON, of Seattle, in the county of King and State of Vashington, have invented a new and useful Oar-Coupling, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improvement in automatic car-couplings of the link-and-pin type, and has for its object to provide a simple practical coupling of the characternamed which will afford means to safely couple or detach two cars from either side of the cars or from their tops, as may be desired.

To this end my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of the end portion of a car with the improved coupling in position on it. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a car with the improvement thereon. Fig. 3

is an enlarged side View of the coupling detached from a car. Fig. 4 is a front end elevation of the car-coupling, parts being broken out. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the coupling and a coupling link taken through the transverse center of the draw-head and link, the parts being shown in coupled condition in full lines and the coupling-pin elevated in dotted lines. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the draw-head, attached parts, and a coupling-link; and Fig. 7 is a side elevation in section of the coupling, showing the parts in uncoupled adjustment with a coupling-link partly entered within the draw-head.

The draw-head A is preferably cast into form and consists, essentially, of an elongated body that is rectangular in cross-section and recessed from the front end inwardly a proper distance for the introduction of the couplinglink B, which is of the usual shape and dimensions.

To facilitateV the insertion of the link B Within the aperture of the draw-head body, the front end portion of the latter named is flared on the four walls, the lower wall hav- 5o ing a sloping descent of greater extent than the divergence of the other walls of the drawhead to insure the engagement therewith of alink on another draw-head.

Upon the top Wall of the draw-head A,near its front end and transverse center, a vertical tubular guide O is erected Which may be secured to or formed integral with the drawhead body, said guide O being designed to support a coupling-pin D. A circular aperture is formed in the top and bottom walls of the draw-head A, concentric with the bore of the tubular guide O, but of a smaller diameter than said bore, thus producing a shoulder at CL for engagement of the coupling-pin.

The upper end of the tubular guide C is provided with a cap b, that is secured in place by its jointed attachment to the ears c, (shown in Figs. 3 and 4,) whereby the radial flan-ge d on the coupling-pin will serve to prevent the withdrawal of the pin D from the guide-tube O, said iiange having an abutment upon the shoulder @when the couplingpin is lowered to rest thereon, as shown in Fig. 5.

Upon the rear side of the guide-tube O a projecting ear e is formed for the support of a rocking bar E, which bar is apertured vertically to provide parallel limbs g, that lie one on each side of the guide-tube when in position and have a pivotal engagement with the ear e.

The parallel limbs g of the rocking bar E are held spaced apart at their front ends by the depending transverse toe g', the use of which will appear, and above the ear e said limbs project upwardly a short distance and are united by a transverse hook-bar gwhich lies opposite a slot cut through the wall of the guide-tube O, so as to permit the edge of the hook-bar to enter the slot and engage the lower side of the ange d and retain the pin D in elevated adjustment, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. A slot of proper dimensions is made in the upper Wall of the draw-head A in front of the guide-tube O for the introduction therein of a rocking cam-block h, that is pivoted in the slot by its lower end and lies inclined rearwardly and upwardly, having its upper edge in contactwith the side of the guide-tube.

As shown in Fig. 4, the lower portion of the cam-block 7L is bifurca-ted for the reception of the upper end portion of a tripping limb fi, which is provided with a wedge-shaped head 1", that is pivotcd in the slot of the cam-block,

and thus adapted to have a loose engagement with the sloping wall of cam-block, so as to rock the latter named forwardly when the lower portion of the tripping limb t' is rocked inwardly or toward the pin D. The depending portion i? of the tripping limb ft' is curved below its pivot-support, so as to project the free lower end toward the coupling-pin D, said limb portion 2 being flattened to reduce its thickness and permitthe coupling-link to engage its lower surface and lift it into the position shown in Fig. 7, when said link D is introduced within the throat `of the draw-head.

The coupling-pin D is perforated laterally in its head portion for the connection thereto of a chain or wire rope j, which flexible connection is extended upwardly to engage an arm m on the rock-shaft l, that is held to rock by its engagem ent with boxes fastened to vertical end wall of a car, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The shaft I has a crank-handle a on each end, which handles project slightly beyond the sides of the car for the manipulation of the coupling.

The chain or ropcj is upwardly extended above the rock-shaft I to the car-roof, and terminates in a ring or other similar device which will retain it in loose engagement with a standard on the car-roof, so that the upward draft of the chain will draw the pin D and unceuple two connected cars. 'lherc may be laterally-extended chains o secured to the vertical chain y' and passing through an eye o for the operation of the pin D, as represented by dotted lilies in Fig. 2, and if such a provision is made the rock-shaft l may be dispensed with.

In service a coupling-link B is introduced within the draw-head A on a ear which is to be coupled to another car provided with a similar coupling. The link havin g an engagement with the pin .D and walls of the drawhead, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, is held projected te enter the opposite drawhead. (Not shown.) lVhen the outer end of a coupling-link, which is held as stated, impinges upon the pendent portion t2 of the tripping limb t, said limb will be swung inwardly and upwardly and assume the position shown in Fig. 7, the rocking movement of the head portion L" in an outward direction will lift the cam-block 7l, that by its sliding engagement with the toe g will rock the bar E, so as to withdraw its hook-bar g2 from the ilange (Z of the pin D, and permit said pin to fall by gravity through the aligning perforations in the top and lower walls et the draw-head, and thus securely couple two adjacent cars together.

\Vhcn the coupling of cars is effected as stated, all the parts by their weight and manner of connection are made to assume the positions shown in Fig. 5, an upward movement o the pin D to uncouple two draw-heads, and withdrawal of the coupling-link B, causing the tripping limb 'i to swing outwardly and release the link in an obvious manner.

llaving thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination, with a d raw-head which is recessed and provided with a Haring front end, and a vertical guide-tube fora couplingpin, of a rocking bar that loosely embraces the guide-tube, is pivoted en the guide-tube and adapted to support a coupling-pin through a slot in the guide-tube, a coupling-pin having a iianged head, a pivoted cam-block which may have contact with the toe of the rocking bar, and a pendent pivoted tripping limb that impinges on the cam-block and rocks the camblocl; outwardly when it is pushed inwardly by a coupling-link that is entering the drawhead, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination,with a draw-head which is recessed forwardly and has a flaring front end, a vertical guide-tube that aligns with perforations in the top and bottom walls of the draw-head, and a coupling-pin which may slide in the guide-tube, of au apcrtured roel;- ing bar which loosely embraces the guidetube and is adapted to engage the couplingpin and retain it elevated, a pivoted inclined cam-bloei; which is engaged by the depending toe of the rocking bar, and a pendent tripping limb which will rock the cam-block outwardly when its lower portion is moved inwardly by a coupling-link, substantially as set forth.

rlhe combinatiomwith a draw-head which is longitudinally recessed, has a flaring front end, and is perforated through its top and bottom walls near the front end for the introduction of a coupling-pin, a vertical guidetube slotted on one side and provided with a movable cap-piece, and a coupling-pin therein having a radial flange near its head that is perforai ed, of an apertured rocking bar which straddles the guide-tube and is pivoted thereon, so as to align its upper end with the slot in the guide-tube, a pivoted cam-block, a tripping limb which engages the cam-block with its head when it is rocked inwardly and which is pivoted thereto through said head that lies between two forked portions of the cam-block, substantially as set forth.

fi. rlhe combination, with a draw-head which is longitudinally recessed, has a flaring front end, and is vertically perforated near the flared portion for the reception of a couplingpin, a guide-tube that is secured to the top wall of the draw-head and is aligned with the perforatiens therein, and a coupling -pin therein having a perforated head and a radial flange near the head, of a rocking bar TOO IIO

which is apertured to stiaddle the guide-tube l head of the coupling-pin and ieeiprooates it in and adapted to engage the flanged head of the guidetube when said device is manipu- Io the Coupling-pin through atiansvei'se slot in lated from the sides or roof of a ear, substanthe guide-tube, apivoted earn-block on which tially as set forth.

the toe of the rocking bar rests, a pendent tripping limb which will rook the cani-block outwardly When the limb is swung inwardly, and a device which engages the perforated ROBERT MCMAHON. Witnesses:

WILLIAM T. MCINTYRE, AUGUsT HUBER. 

